


Throwing Down The Gauntlet

by Loremaiden



Category: Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms, Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle
Genre: Community: watsons_woes, F/M, Great Hiatus, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Post-The Final Problem, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-22
Updated: 2015-07-22
Packaged: 2018-04-10 18:33:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4402721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Loremaiden/pseuds/Loremaiden
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A war of words between two soldiers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Throwing Down The Gauntlet

**Author's Note:**

> Written in response to JWP 2015 #22 (While You Were Out) on Watson's Woes. Takes place at some point in 1893, during the Great Hiatus.
> 
> While You Were Out. Watson returns home after a long day to find a note pinned to his door. What is the note? Who left it? It's all up to you.

The paper pinned to my door is of good quality. The text of the note was made by a typewriter, so no handwriting analysis can be done. It still carries the faint scent of cigar smoke.

If Holmes were still alive, I am sure he would have pointed out at least a dozen more observations I had obtusely missed.

But it does not matter. I do not need Holmes' gifts to deduce the author of this threat. It was the exact same phrase his older brother had used on my friend.

_You must drop it, Doctor Watson._

I know better than to underestimate any Moriarty. But the Colonel is not as clever as the Professor. If he wanted to frighten me off this path, he would have done better to deliver this note two months ago...when I still had someone to protect. Now, I have nothing left to lose.

I will mail him a personal copy of _The Final Problem_ as my response on the morrow, but prepare myself for a soldier's vigil tonight. After all, I am sure that my answer has already crossed his mind.


End file.
